


We start again

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Tumblr prompts [6]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 02:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23004616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: reunion 3.0 angst prompt: "You left me Robert, you left and broke my heart!"
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Tumblr prompts [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607773
Comments: 2
Kudos: 56





	We start again

“You left me Robert, you left and broke my heart!" 

They were in the middle of the village, in the pagoda, their pagoda. Almost exactly 6 years to the date that they exchanged vows and rings and promised each other forever.

“I know…” Robert looked down at his shoes. “I broke my own heart.”

“Then why did you do it?!” Aaron was getting near hysterical. Six years of pent up anger, hurt, and frustration all pouring out of him.

It had started with a simple ‘hey’ in passing and somehow it had escalated into… this.

Robert had been released not too long ago and was back in Vic’s box room and slowly trying to settle back into village life.

“I had to.” Robert said, and Aaron could see the tears welling up in his eyes. “I was going away for 14 years! On the other side of the country! I couldn’t do that to you. You deserved better. Still do.”

“Shouldn’t I be the judge of that? You just cut me out of your life with no explanation! And then served me with divorce papers!”

“I had to set you free! You deserve to be really happy. To have a family with someone who loves you and won’t mess up like I did.”

“I had that!” Aaron yelled. From the corner of his eye he noticed some people had stopped to watch the show, but right now he didn’t care. “I had a family! I had a husband and a son! I was happier than I’d ever been but you took that away from me! And I couldn’t even ask you why!”

“I… I’m sorry. I… - “

“Stop saying sorry! I’m so sick of hearing that word come out of your mouth!”

“What else do you want me to say? I’m sorry I hurt you, I’m sorry I cut you off. I thought I was doing the right thing! I knew it would hurt you but you’d get over it and meet someone who actually deserved you.”

Aaron ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“How can you still be so incredibly stupid Robert?!” He yelled. “I tried to move on. My mum, Paddy, Liv, they all told me to and I tried. I tried but I couldn’t! I couldn’t because the only person in the world I wanted to be with was thousands of miles away and didn’t want to see me!”

“I did. I wanted to so badly…”

“Then why didn’t you let me?!” Aaron sat down next to him, tired and emotionally drained.

Robert swallowed thickly.

“I couldn’t let myself be that selfish… I couldn’t make you put your life on hold that long.”

“I wish you would have talked to me about that.”

“And you would have listened if I’d have told you not to visit anymore and forget about me?”

“Of course not. I could never just forget about you.” Aaron told him and put a hand on his knee. “You’re the love of my life. Always will be.”

“I can’t.” Robert got up and started pacing. “I’m a mess. Even more than before. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and panic because I don’t know where I am. The sound of a door closing too loudly gives me chills and I made Vic change the brand of soap she uses because it’s the same as in there.”

“But you’re getting your life back. You’ve got your son back. It’s all a work in progress. It took me months to get myself together enough to function like a normal person. But eventually I got there. And so will you.”

“It doesn’t feel like that now. I pushed everyone away… and now I’m back here and I’m just in everyone’s way.”

“You’re not in my way. And you’re not in Vic’s way. Or Jimmy’s. He told me you’re back at Home James.”

Robert nodded and sat back down.

“Just doing the books for now.”

“It’s a start. I know you, I know you want everything to go back to how it was right away, but it takes time.”

“It’s not going to be exactly how it was before, is it? I might have my place in the company back, and Seb… but I’ll never have everything anymore will I?”

“Says who?” Aaron asked and grabbed Robert’s hand. “When will you learn not to make decisions for me?”

“I’m not. I’m just being realistic. You can do better. You deserve better.”

“You’re being an idiot. I want to be happy. And you make me happy.”

“I hurt you.”

“Yes you did. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still love you.” Aaron leaned in and kissed Robert. Just a small, chaste brush of lips but it meant everything.

Somewhere, someone cheered. Kerry maybe. Or Mandy. But neither of them cared.

“I still love you too…” Robert admitted quietly. “More than anything.”

“Good answer.” Aaron joked and got up. “Come home with me?” He held out his hand for Robert to take.

“Are… are you sure?”

“Hundred percent. I’m ready to have my husband back where he belongs.”

Robert gave him a nervous smile and let Aaron pull him to his feet.

“I’m ready too.”


End file.
